TOWN BOARDS TROUBLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15748, 24 October 1914, Page 5

TOWN BOARDS TROUBLES.

♦ DISTURBER OF MEETING. POLICE COURT SEQUEL. A xovel case was beard by Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday when the New Lynn Town Board proceeded against Henry Green on a charge of having disturbed its meeting on October 12. Mr. J. G. Haddow appeared for the board, and Green conducted bis own defence. In outlining his case, Mr. Haddow said the trouble had been going on for years, and had reached a climax on October 12, when the meeting ended in an uproar, and had to be adjourned. Defendant used to attend the meetings as a ratepayer, and used to make frequent interjections. Business was interfered with very considerably, and his conduct at meetings generally was intolerable, , The first witness called was Archibald Grandison, who said be was chairman of the New Lynn Town Board, and knew the | defendant. He remembered the evening of October 12. On that occasion the board was holding a meeting, and Green, who was not a member of the board, by his frequent interjections, rendered it im-1 possible for business to be transacted. I Matters became so bad that the meeting had to be adjourned. J. Morrish gave corroborative evidence, and Mr. Haddow intimated that he could call three more witnesses to give corroborative evidence. " That is sufficient," said Mr. Cutten. "I will now hear what the defendant has to say." Henry Green thereupon entered the witness box, and, armed with the Town Board Act, 1908, a mass of correspondence, and a pencil and notebook, proceeded to criticise the board, and explain that he was being victimised. Mr. Cutten refused to hear him upon irrelevant matters Green admitted that he had "corrected" the chairman for a mis-statement ho had made, "That constitutes the offence, then." said the magistrate, "you have no right to interiect at a meeting. * Defendant: They sav I have been doing it for four years: that is not true. Mr. Cuttrn : Perhap- it has seemed like four years to them. The offence of interferine with such meetings as this is a serious one. and cannot be allowed to co unchecked. If yon offend aeain there will be a heavy penally. On this occasion vou will be fined £2. with £2 4s cost';.